Battery terminal connector



Sept 5;'5'944. T. o. WILLIAMS 2,357,5674

BATTERY TERMINAL y CONNECTOR vFiled March 9, 1942 m uw zzp zy IC7/mada?? Q WIV/4772,52

Patented Sept. 5, 1944 UNITEDy ySTATES PATENT OFFICE y 2,957,561v I l .BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTORV Theodore 0. Los Angeles,l Calif. Application Marchi 9, 1942, serial No. 433,912

` l1 claim. (Cl. 179-259) I This invention relates to connectors for battery terminals and particularly pertains to connectors employed in effecting connection between an end of an electrically conductive cable and a terminal of an .electric battery such as is employedon motor vehicles. An object of theinvention is to provide a battery-terminal connector which is so constructed as to afford a shroud for the batteryterminal and to encompass the latter in a body of grease in such manner as to prevent or at least minimize corrosiveaction of battery acid on the connector and on the cable end attached thereto.

Another object is to provide a construction in the` connector whereby an eiective electrical connection will be made'between a cable and the vbattery terminal through the grease body encom-v passing the latter.

Another object is to provide a construction in the connector whereby the use of clamping bolts and nuts as `commonly employed in devices oi this character is eliminated and in whichclamping engagement between-the connector and the battery terminal post and release thereof may be easily and rapidly eiIected.

Another object iste provide a construction in the connector whereby adequate electrical con- Fig. 4 is a detail in cross section as seen on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a contact meinber embodied in the connector and which is adapted to be applied to the end of a cable.

Referring to the drawing more specifically, A indicates generally the battery terminal connector, B designates the battery teminal post, and C designates an electrical cableto'be connected to the terminal B by the connector A. The post B here shown is the conventional -terminalpost of electric batteries such as are used on motor vehicles,lwhich post is circular in crosssection and slightly tapered from its base to its tip, and is formed of soft metal.

The connector AK embodies va cap 1 including a top wall 8 and an annular side wall 9, which cap is adapted to bepositioned tri-'extend over the terminal post B to shroud the latter as shown in Fig. 2; the wall 9 of the cap being formed slightly larger than the post B so thatwhen the capis nection between the cable and the connector may be effected without the use of solder and whereby the 'connector maybe readily attached to the end oi the cable without the employment of special,

Y .tools and in afashion to afford a'substantial and enduring connection between the cable and the connector. l

A further object is tov provide a construction.'

in the connector whereby when the latter is applied to the battery terminal post it will be securely engaged therewith in Vsuch fashion as to securely hold the connector against either turning movement around the post or longitudinalv movement relative thereto and whereby the connector will be retained against accidental gdisshowing it'as applied; v

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of the connector showing it applied to a battery terminal post; i

f Figi 3 is a detail in horizontal section taken on l the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Y

positioned on the post a clearance space I0 will be afforded between the post and \-the interior surface' of the side wall 9, whereby the cap may .be readily positioned Aon-and removed from the from the side wall 9 thereof ,andl integral there: A

withaisfa tube Il which is open at its ,outery end and has its inner end open to the interior of the cap through the side wall of the latter. The tube II Vis formed with external'screw threads I2 to receives'. sleeve I3 having an internally threaded .end portion I4 for screw engagement with the tube II. The sleeve I3 has an outer end portion I5 formed with external nat-faces I6 constituting a wrench-hold; which end portion-of Vthe sleeve is of reduced internaldiameter. vAshoulder Il is formed interiorly of the reduced endportion I5 of the tube for abutting engagement with the inner endr of a contact ferrule I8 afiixed on the end of the electrical cable C on which the sleeve I3 is carried. The contact ferrule vI8 is formed of electrically conductive metal and is designed to receive a clump I9 of wire ends of the cable C and to be engaged therewith by an indent 20 formed on the ferrule I8 by providing a pair of `circular circumferentially extending slits in the side wall ofthe ferrule intermediate the ends of the latter such as to provide a strip 22 of metal between the slits which is capable of being bent inwardly and ,forced into tight engagement with the clump v'I3 for" insurinsfipeprffpositianins o postV Bi the:

n 2,357,567 of wire ends extending intothe ferruleas shown f Ain Fig. `4. When the strip'22 Iisindented opening 22' will be formedin the side "oi'f'th ferrule.l y*

The `ferrule opening `22' 'is `arranged in this prlotruding'f por ytion ofthe ferrule so. as tobe exposed.

The outer endo! the ferrule I8 4i'sf irxnedfto`` Q conform to the side contour of the'postBand `is preferablyA provided with an end w'all 23 having.y a transverse concave .curvature l conformable to the curvature of theypost B'andslightlyinclined lengthwise to conform to .thejtaperiof:theipostc verse teeth 24 adapted tobepres'sedintothe surface of the,y post vBlso a's'vtogeilectgintimate inter;V

I9 of cable wir'e as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, thus effecting electrical -connection between the cable and the'ferrule AI8 and without the aid of solder. It will be understoodl however that if it is desired to amplify the connection between the ferrule and the cable end solder may be applied in the recess'whichis formed by indenting the strip 22. "Howevenpractice has shown that such application of solder is unnecessary and that it is de- '.10-`

'ferrule as is formed by indenting the strip 22 so that .a packing grease may be forced interiorly ofthe ferrulevand into interstices between adjasirablefto leave an opening in the side of the nt cables wires and the inner periphery of the v"f'errule'as will presently be described.

In applying the connector, the interior of the y cap'l and the tube II is iilled or substantially lledwithj Aa. suitableharcl grease rwhereupon the capisslipped overv the post B whichlatter on .lbeingadvancedinto the cap will dis lace a portion cf thek grease lsuch that portions whereof will be squeezedboth outwardly inthe tube II and locking engagement Withthe latter. "A's a means end wally.

Q fithe. fconceve f f'therenwithihe Iferrule I l isformed withaa'lsnsitue dinallyextending-rib 2l-;whichis-slidably'engagea able with adongitudinally extendingfichannel `26 f formed viiiteriorlyl-ofV .theivtube II `which? rib and channel are so :positioned relative` toLthe eces'sed end wall 223`and thejteeth 2,4 on, thederruleathat.; y when the;latter isfinsertedjintlie ltubefII th'ei teeth will extend'lengthwise circun'lferentially"v of the pest. Ashere shown-:therialzsandcnannel 26 arelocated on the'upper portlonskof -thei contact member iand tube and exteniidperpenfv dicular to the length of the teeth l24 ,andfparallelf to the axes'of the connected .ferrule and `tube;

As a means for eifecting'intimate. interlock# ing engagement between the cap lfand the post B theportion of the sidewall of ,the` capopposing the tube II and ferrule 'I8 is formedwith-fa series of longitudinally extending teeth21 which when the ferrulell ,is-clamped against the post B, as will presently-be" described, will penetrate the Fig. 3.

Formed on portion of the wall 9 which ordinarily would,

extend in close relation to the post, and lalso enables three pointcontact between the'kcon-v nectorl and the post. v

In the application and operation of the invention a suitable length of cableA C is provided `surface of thepOstfBasshown in the inner face ofthe wall 9 longiy ltuflinally' thereof and perpendicular Atof'and in alignment with the axis" oi'4 the tube II is a on which the sleeve i3 is slipped with the threaded end of the latter outermost.V The 'ferrule I8 is then applied to an endl of the'cable by stripping a length of the insulating sheath of the cable from the end of the latter a distance less than the length of the interior of the ferrule' I8, then introducing the clump I9 of exposed wires of the cable into the interiorof the ferrule I8 a distance to bring the end portion of the insulatving sheath of the cable within a flared lend 28 formed on the ferrule. The `strip 22 is then `pressed inwardly Aby a punch or other suitable tool to form the indent 20 and in such manner as to eiect clamping engagement with the clump outwardlyfrom the lowermarginf-ofa cap.- The ferrule I8; isthen inserted in the outer end of 1 vthetubfe with the, rib 25 engaged: in the channel 26; theqierrulefbeing'forced through the body ,ct greasej in{the-.tube soas to'ffurther displace end of vvtheferrule and `then screwed into enygagernent with the tube` II\ so-that the shoulder Il will abut therfia'red endv ofthe ferrule and `advance the ferrule inthe tube so'asy to lbring `the endofztheferrule into engagement with the battery post. Continued advance of the sleeve if; on the threads of the tube after the ferrule lliy abuts the post B will act to draw the cap 'l toward thel ferrulerand thus bring the teeth 21 on the cap into contact with the post.

The application of the connector to this lpoint I may ordinarilybe effected by hand Without the aid vof tools, then to complete the connection the sleeve is tightened on the tube by manipulation of a wrench gripping `the wrench-hold on the reduced end of the sleeve and whereby the ferrule and cap will be advanced relative to each other so as to cause the teeth 24 -on the ferrule and the teeth 2J on the cap to bite into the surface of thepost B and thus effect interlocking engagement of the ferrule and cap with the post such as to hold the cap against both turning and longitudinal movement on the post thereby securing the cap against accidental disengagement from the post. The bites afforded by the teeth 24 and 2l insure positive electrical con- .nection between the ferrule, cap and post through, the grease body encompassing the post.

lIn advancing'the sleeve I3 on the tube II a body of grease will be entrapped at the outer end of the tube so that a portion of such grease will be forced into the ferrule through the opening 22' afforded by the indented strip 22, thus packing the interstices interiorly of the ferrule with the grease by pressure created in screwing the sleeve on the tube.

Portions of the grease acted on by advancing the sleeve I3 on the tube will be squeezed outwardly through the open end of the ferrule and along the portion of the cable encompassed by the end extension I5 of the sleeve I3 thus grease y sealing the bore of the sleeve around the cable and thereby protecting the cable from corrosion.

It will now be seen that by the construction set forth the interior surfaces of the connector including the cable connection may be effectively packed in grease and thus be protected against corrosive action of battery acids or fumes. It will also be noted that the point of application of a tool for tightening or loosening the connector,namely, the wrench-hold I6 at the outer end of the sleeve I3 is located remote from the post B. This arrangement is advantageous in that` it permits positioning of the connector so 8s not to interfere with ller caps of the battery.

By provision of the rib 25 and channel 26 a key or splined connection is aiorded between the cable end and the connector cap such as to hold the cable end against turning in event twisting of the cable becomes necessary after application of the connector, thus preventing loosening of the sleeve I3 by reason of such twisting of the cable,

By the provision of the three-point contact between the connector and the post afforded by the recess 28 and its marginal ribs 21 and the y opposed end of the contact ferrule, rocking of the connector on the post is prevented andthe connector is adapted for engagement with posts of various diameters.

In tightening or loosening the connector the post B and the battery grid plates connected thereto (not shown) may be relieved of strain by gripping the cap 1 with a wrench or pliers while manipulating the sleeve I3. To this end the side 'wall' of the cap is formed with tool engaging faces 30 on opposed sides thereof.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth. and the invention embraces such changes, modiiications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claim.

I claim:

A battery terminal connector comprising a cap having an annular side wall for initial loose encirclement of a battery terminal post, an externally threaded tube protruding from said side wall, a sleeve screwed on said tube, a ferrule loosely slidable through said tube adapted to receive an end of a cable and `having a flared .outer end projecting from the tube and spaced from contact with the-outer end of the tube and arranged to be abutted by said sleeve whereby screwing said sleeve onto said tube will advance said ferruleand said wall into clamping engagement with the post, an end wall on said ferrule having a concave transverse curvature, a longitudinal rib on said ferrule and a channelinteriorly of said tuber slidably receiving said ri-b for positioning said vend wall in registering relation to the post and for holding said ferrul against turning in said tube.

THEODORE O. WILLIAMS. 

